Trump, Clinton quickly refer to New York blast as bomb; Trump takes brunt of media criticism

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump each referred to the intentionally set explosion Saturday night in New York City as a bomb, but Trump is taking the brunt of the backlash for failing to wait until police made a determination.

"Just before I got off the plane a bomb went off in New York, and nobody knows what's going on," Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, said during a rally in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Authorities say they suspect the explosion, which injured 29 people, was an "intentional act" but have provided no details about a suspect or motive. The device was put in a large metal trash bin in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

A second device was purportedly found four blocks from the explosion. It appeared to be a pressure cooker attached to wiring and a cellphone.

Also on Saturday, a pipe bomb explosion in New Jersey forced the cancellation of a morning charity run. And a man in St. Cloud, Minn., stabbed at least eight people in a shopping mall while making references to Allah.

After the Chelsea explosion, Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, told reporters she had been briefed "about the bombings in New York and New Jersey and the attacks in Minnesota."

However, wire service reports characterized Clinton’s comments as “more cautious.”

In addition, CNN.com posted a story with the headline: “Trump says 'bomb went off in New York.’ ”

And Katy Tur, the NBC reporter covering the Trump campaign, tweeted: “Reported 'explosion' in NY at 8:30. At 9:10 Trump tells CO a ‘bomb’ went off. Source says Trump was 'briefed' on plane. Who briefed him?”

Still, many of the comments on social media, including one journalist’s, were critical of how the news media covered Trump and Clinton’s responses.

“If you're in the media and your chief worry is that Trump called a bombing a bombing too early for you, please find another line of work,” conservative commentator Ben Shapiro tweeted.

Another person tweeted: “Media slams Trump for calling the New York explosion a bomb even after they KNEW he was right. Incredible.”